DEFINATION:
Water Pollution, contamination of water by foreign matter such as
micro-organisms, chemicals, industrial or other wastes, or sewage. Such
matter deteriorates the quality of the water and renders it unfit for its
intended uses.
Water is a major constituent of every organism and thus the most important
resource to man. The pollution of water makes some rivers and lake unsafe
to drink or use. Water shortage could cause devastating effects on human
existance. Major water pollutants come from industries rather than domestic
use. In the U.S.A water pollution has reached a higher level than any other
part of the world infact not a single river in the States of America is
safe to drink from!
Our life has now been simplified and as a result made it more leisure.
Our improved way of living has introduce systems such as the municipal,
industrial and agricultural systems. Though these systems are of advantage
and therefore important to us for the continuity of healthy living they
have side effects on us too.
Sewage, Infectious agents,Exotic organic chemicals such as pesticides,
Inorganic minerals and chemical compounds, are all considered to be major
water pollutants. Excess mineral salts from farm lands are washed away
by rain water or rivers. These salts cause an artificial enrichment of
salt levels in the water, this inturns provide a suitable environment for
the growth of microoraganism particularly the blue algea resulting to what
is know as eutrophication
. These algeas flourish and cover the water surface, since they respire
anaerobically they require oxygen. Their existance results to oxygen depletion
in the water and a subsequent most of the aquatic plants and animals in
such water die off. These dead organisms are then decomposed causing a
further decrease in oxygen levels. The process of eutrophication
can produce aesthetic problems such as bad tastes and odours and other
chemical changes such as precipitation of calcium carbonate in hard waters.
.
Sewage and other oxygen demanding wastes contribute to oxygen depletion
as well.and unsightly green scums of algae, as well as dense growth of
rooted plants, oxygen depletion in the deeper waters and bottom sediments
of lakes, and other chemical changes such as precipitation of calcium carbonate
in hard waters.
Another problem caused by water pollution, which is of growing concern
in recent years, is acid rain, which
has left many lakes in northern and eastern Europe and north-eastern North
America totally devoid of life.
Oilspills though do not oftenly occur cause massive pollution the little
while they do. Oil spills largely affect aquatic birds and since oil prevents
oxygen from diffusing into the water, it also affects aquatic plants and
animals.
All of the above are chemical pollutants, items such as glass and plastics
bottles and bags thrown into water bodies are also considered as pollutants.
ACTION TAKEN!
Countries such as U.S.A and other developed worlds
laws have been set to regulate the realise of industrial water into sewers
and rivers. Proper control of water pollution has not been reached, however
options are available in controlling industrial waste water.
Control can take place at the point of generation within the plant; wastewater
can be pretreated for discharge to municipal treatment systems; or wastewater
can be treated completely at the plant and either reused or discharged
directly into receiving waters.Under the current
pollution law it is an offense to discharge water that has been used for
any industrial purpose, into a sewer or directly into a river without the
consent of the appropriate water authority. Wastes from commercial
feeders are contained and disposed of on land; their main threat to natural
waters, therefore, is via run-off and leaching. Control may involve settling
basins
for liquids, limited biological treatment in aerobic or anaerobic lagoons,
and a variety of other methods. In practise this may reduce pollution but
does not stop it!i
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HOME!
E-HOME!
Our life has now been simplified and as a result made it more
leisure. Our improved way of living has introduce systems such as the municipal,
industrial and agricultural systems. Though these systems are of advantage
and therefore important to us for the continuity of healthy living they
have side effects on us too.
Natural Water pollution:
Water pollution may not only be caused by industries or mordern
farming. Volcanic erruptions in oceans may also result to water pollution,
so do ocean earth quakes. But these don't occur oftenly. Eutrophication
may also becaused by natural processes in places of high salt concetrations.
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